Current Group Members

Principle Investigator

Dr. Jess Gutknecht

Dr. Jess Gutknecht laughing in a field

Principle Investigator

I get to collaborate with all the great people listed below, and across my website.

Curriculum Vitae (last updated November 2023) 

 

Graduate Students

Lauren Bilek

Lauren Bilek in a grey beanie and green jacket

Graduate student in Land and Atmospheric Science

Lauren is working on Kernza soil health and agricultural solutions to future climates.

 

Jake Kundert

Jake Kundert

Graduate student in Land and Atmospheric Science

Research focus on carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions in perennial and diversified cropping systems

 

Evelyn Reilly

Evelyn Reilly in front of a giant fern frond

Graduate student in Land and Atmospheric Science

Evelyn is working on carbon cycling in perennial and continuous cover systems. She is a Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) Fellow! You can read more about Evelyn's work on her FFAR Fellow page.

 

Gurparteet Singh

Gurparteet Singh in the field

Graduate student in Land and Atmospheric Science

Focus on field measurements and modeling of hydrology and water quality in the context of a large fertility trial of Kernza perennial grain, within the context of the large Kernza CAP experiment. GP was a 2024 for a Knauss fellowship recipient, and is a recipient of the UMN Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship!

 

Researchers

Siwook Huang

Siwook Hwang wearing a white shirt and posing against a grey brick wall

Postdoctoral Researcher

Siwook Huang is a soil microbiologist, working as a soil health postdoctoral researcher on the Kernza CAP project

 

Kathryn Phillips

Kathryn Phillips posing next to a giant leaf

Researcher

Kathryn Phillips is working on stakeholder input and data synthesis toward understanding ecosystem services in continuous cover agricultural systems

 

Craig See

Craig See being licked on the cheek by a black and white dog

Researcher

Craig See is the data manager for the Kernza CAP project

 

Technicians

Leah Hallett

Leah Hallett

Research technician

Leah is the lab manager for the Gutknecht Lab and working toward an MS in Land & Atmospheric Sciences (LAAS) on comprehensive nitrogen budgets of Kernza under different fertility strategies. 

 

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Liv McBride

Undergraduate Research Assistant